Casual or Intimate?

 

 

Vernell Windsor – Prayer Center Coach, CBN. ministries

Have you ever been so in love with someone that you made time for them daily? You looked forward to seeing them and spending time with them. And they always found a way to make you smile? I’m smiling from ear to ear just thinking about that special someone now!

A very kind friend recently sent me pictures of such a relationship from days gone by. It brought a huge smile and took me down memory lane. But I am not talking about an ordinary romantic relationship. As wonderful as that can be, it is only a shadow of what we have to look forward to with the Lord!

Jesus had an intimate relationship with His Father. In fact, Luke 6:12-13 says,

In these days he went out to the mountain to pray, and all night he continued in prayer to God. And when day came, he called his disciples and chose from them twelve, whom he named apostles (ESV).

From His place of intimacy with the Father, Jesus knew who to choose to walk closely with Him. Verse 19 says,

And all the crowd sought to touch him, for power came out from him and he healed them all.

Then he preached a compelling message to a “great multitude” about kingdom living that we fondly refer to as the “Beatitudes.”

A life of prayer has a huge impact on every believer who chooses to pray. Have you ever woken in the morning excited to greet our amazing God? Has He ever nudged you to wake up? Have you ever run to get into His presence? One can only imagine how Jesus felt going up the mountain to be with God! I can tell you about countless days where these incidents have occurred repetitively. Oh, the joys of being with the Lord!

Jesus received strength and anointing, and so do we! Walking and talking with the Lord is not some far-fetched or super-Christian anomaly. It is the result of our desire to be with Him. When I seek Him, I find Him!

In fact, just this morning while a strong wind and heavy rain were raging outside, I actually giggled, yes, giggled, with the Lord. After all, childlike faith has a high value in the kingdom of God. I can be who He created me to be even while lying in my own bed!

Don’t get me wrong, it is not all fun and games. Sometimes, the seriousness of the hour and the heaviness of the warfare can become exhausting. But Jesus desired to please His Father. We have the same opportunity to please Him daily.

I encourage us, one and all, to choose each day to wake up with Him. He brings the greatest joy imaginable. My day goes so much better when I choose to spend that time with the Lord. He gives me instructions and pours out wisdom I cannot get elsewhere. This love relationship is a keeper!

Deeper Waters

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Marissa Nordlum – CBN Ministries.

I love the ocean. The smell of fresh, salty air. The sound of the waves crashing against the shore. The look of the tide as it rolls in at sunset. For a season of our lives, my husband and I lived not too far from the ocean along the California coast and every weekend of the summer, we would go to the beach to enjoy the weather and the waves. My husband, being the adventurer that he is, would always run out to the water, and somehow try to convince me to follow suit. Maybe it was my overly cautious, risk-assessing personality, but something about the ocean always kept me from going in very deep. I preferred to stay on the shore where it was safe and comfortable on my beach towel. I was afraid of what might happen if I ventured too many steps into the water.

We see something similar happen with the disciples in Luke 5 as Jesus tells them to go “deeper” into the water and try once more to catch some fish.

When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Now go out where it is deeper, and let down your nets to catch some fish.” “Master,” Simon replied, “we worked hard all last night and didn’t catch a thing. But if you say so, I’ll let the nets down again.” And this time their nets were so full of fish they began to tear! A shout for help brought their partners in the other boat, and soon both boats were filled with fish and on the verge of sinking. (Luke 5:4-7 NLT)

In Luke 5 we see Jesus call the disciples to go out deeper into waters they had already been fishing in—but had caught nothing. I can almost picture Simon’s frustration and hesitancy as he tells Jesus, “If you say so, I’ll let the nets down again.” And as they let the nets down, they were left in awe at the miracle that took place, as had happened at many of Jesus’ works. Unlike their previous times fishing, the amount of fish they caught was so great that it began to tear the nets! Furthermore, the other boat that came to help had its nets fill with fish! When they went deeper as the Lord had asked, others even got in on the blessing. Their faith was restored and all because they trusted Jesus and went a little deeper into the water.

This story reminds me of my time at the beach, but also about the many times I have felt stuck on the shores of my life. You see, it’s much easier to stay on the shore than it is to go deeper into the secret place with the Lord and reopen wounds, hurts, and even unanswered prayers. The disciples had to face that weariness when Jesus told them, “Try again.” But when Jesus told the disciples to go “deeper” into waters where they had fished before with disappointment, they trusted Him and they tried once more.

Maybe that is how you feel today. Is the Lord calling you to let down your nets again and go deeper with Him? In what areas of your life?

Those who know your name trust in you, for you, O LORD, do not abandon those who search for you. Psalm 9:10

We know that we serve a God who is faithful—time and time again, to every generation who worships Him. We can trust Him with our lives and with our needs. Even when we have come up short before, we can rest knowing that obedience brings about blessings.

Jesus replied, “But even more blessed rather are all who hear the word of God and put it into practice.” Luke 11:28

Today, let us go deeper with the Lord. Back to the place of prayer and worship. Let us go back to the place of full surrender. And in doing so, we will experience just what the disciples did: an overflowing, multiplying—even unto others—move of God in our lives.

United for His Glory

 

 

Gordon Robertson – President and CEO, CBN

God makes an astounding pronouncement in Isaiah 41:5:

“Behold, I will make you into a new threshing sledge.” (NKJV)

When I read this, the image that immediately came to mind was of a giant harvester—a huge machine that swiftly threshes entire fields of wheat.

God has called us as His followers to serve together as a massive harvester going throughout the whole earth, gathering millions of souls for His kingdom.

At the same time, we are to be mindful of the value of each individual. In 1994, when Jesus appeared to me at the Godavari River in India, He called me by name and said: “Gordon, if you were the only one to believe, I still would have come just for you.”

That same message is also for you. Jesus would have come if you had been the only one. And when you really understand this, it changes you. It has definitely changed me.

Jesus gives us this beautiful picture in Luke 15:4-6:

“What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost until he finds it? And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!’”

Never forget that He went looking for you. And every life is a thought from God. The Apostle Paul says:

He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world. … For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them (Ephesians 1:4, 2:10)

How amazing to think that God tailored events in history so that you and I would participate in this time of global harvest.

There are different styles of ministry, just as there were differences between Paul and Apollos in the New Testament. Yet Paul instructs us to be united in our labor for the Lord:

I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase. Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor. For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, you are God’s building (1 Corinthians 3:6-9)

This passage is wonderfully empowering and equalizing. We are all in this together. I’ve always marveled that God chose us as His fellow workers—because if I were God, I wouldn’t have. I would have chosen angels who do exactly what they’re told. They don’t argue or complain. They just obey.

Yet God has chosen us. And the amazing thing is that God believes we can do it. He has faith in us. He trusts us with the Gospel. He trusts us with the eternal destiny of other people, because they are God’s field and His building.

Sometimes we may be tempted to run away from our destiny. The task may seem overwhelming, or the things of this world may be distracting. Yet when we understand that God has nothing but good in store for us, it becomes easy to go all in and say, “Okay, God; I’ll do it your way.”

When a student asked me how to move forward with God in a certain situation, I replied, “Well, have you died today?” We all need to die daily as we do the ministry of the Lord.

Jesus tells us in Luke 9:23-24:

“If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it.”

We should regularly ask ourselves, Is my life surrendered or have I taken it up again? As Hudson Taylor said, “Christ is either Lord of all, or He is not Lord at all.”

We may be tempted to take a break from following the teachings of Jesus; however, that can cause us to miss out on what God has for us today. His thoughts are not limited to this particular moment in time. He is always thinking about eternity. We don’t want to miss any divine appointments, when the lost would turn if they could see Jesus in us in that moment.

That’s why it is important to check our motivations. We need to allow the Holy Spirit to examine our aspirations and the inner longings of our hearts. Why do we want certain things? Are they of the world or the kingdom of God? Are we working to be recognized, out of personal pride? The Bible is very clear.

Empowered by the Holy Spirit

 

 

Lina Johnson – Prayer Center Coach cbn.com

Have you ever been so sure God wanted you to do something, but when you did it, the enemy kept showing up? Did it make you doubt and wonder, “How can this be God’s will?” I know I have. Yet, if we want to be considered Christians, or ones like Christ, we should be expecting this kind of temptation. After all, it happened to Jesus.

Luke 4:1-14 tells us the story of Jesus being tempted in the wilderness. Let’s not forget how He got there:

Then Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan River. He was led by the Spirit in the wilderness, where he was tempted by the devil for forty days. Jesus ate nothing all that time and became very hungry. Luke 4:1-2 (NLT)

Jesus was “led by the Spirt.” God knew what would happen. God did not temp Jesus; after all, God cannot tempt with evil, as James 1:13 reminds us:

And remember, when you are being tempted, do not say, “God is tempting me.” God is never tempted to do wrong, and he never tempts anyone else.

God knew that Jesus could and would overcome these temptations from the devil, and that through this, He would become empowered by the Holy Spirit!

Then Jesus returned to Galilee, filled with the Holy Spirit’s power. Reports about him spread quickly through the whole region. Luke 4:14

I don’t know where we get the idea that if God is in it, it will be easy. I find that nowhere in Scripture.

• Joseph had dreams that came true, but first he was a slave and then a prisoner.
• David was hunted by Saul before he became king.
• Noah was mocked as he and his family built the ark.

Jesus warned us that we would face trials.

“I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” John 16:33

And the Apostle Paul gives us encouragement in Romans:

We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love. Romans 5:3-5

Everything we endure will be worth it when we see what God does with it!

Romans 8:28,

And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.

Today, let us each take a fresh look at what we’ve been through. Can you find God’s hand in it? Whatever you may be going through right now, God will bring good out of it and He will empower you through Holy Spirit. No, it may not be easy, but with God we can do all things!

For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength. Philippians 4:13

Yes, You Are Special!

 

Lina Johnson – Prayer Center Coach, cbn.com

“You are special.” No one ever spoke those words to me, yet as I bent down to pick a four-leaf clover, I heard in my spirit: “You are special.”

I did not understand it then, but praise God, I do now. Such a simple thing as finding a four-leaf clover brought me joy and peace. But why? It would be years before this young girl at summer camp would understand it, but in that moment it did not matter. Soon every girl around me was combing through the clover patch for her own four-leaf treasure. I was, for a little while, the most popular girl in camp.

I was a shy child. I had a hard time making friends. Because of this, I kept my eyes open and often I would find one of those precious shamrocks. The thing was, every time I found one, in my spirit I would hear, “You are special.” It gave me such peace.

Looking back, through the eyes of a believer, I now know that the Holy Spirit was drawing me to Himself through His kindness. God was speaking to me even before I knew Him. We can see this in Romans 2:4 (NLT):

Don’t you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Does this mean nothing to you? Can’t you see that his kindness is intended to turn you from your sin?

How wondrous is God’s nature. He is One, yet in three Persons. I met the Holy Spirit way back at camp as a child. He laid the groundwork for me to later know Jesus and the Father.

I’ve often marveled at the Trinity. Three-yet-one often confused me. I believed it. I did not understand it, but I believed it. Then one morning at church, while sitting in an adult Sunday school class, the teacher’s wise words brought me clarity:

“Think of God like a computer. All computers have input, output, and a hard drive. Think of God like that computer. Jesus is like the input. He is how we get to God the Father, the hard drive, and Holy Spirit is like the output. The Holy Spirit speaks to us, reveals truth to us, and makes miracles happen.”

Suddenly, it made sense to me.

Let’s look at my favorite example of the Trinity (the three persons of God) in Scripture:

One day when the crowds were being baptized, Jesus himself was baptized. As he was praying, the heavens opened, and the Holy Spirit, in bodily form, descended on him like a dove. And a voice from heaven said, “You are my dearly loved Son, and you bring me great joy.” Luke 3:21-22

This brings me back to the clover. Most have three leaves. One clover, yet it has three leaves—a picture of the Trinity. So, what about that fourth leaf? Well, that’s simple. That fourth leaf is me! That fourth leaf is you! The analogy is not perfect; we do not share in God’s divine nature. But that fourth leaf is like every born-again believer connected to God by His Spirit dwelling within us.

Yes, I am special. Yes, you are special. Every one of us is special!

May I challenge you today to spend some time with God in prayer—and in listening. What is the Holy Spirit saying to you today?

In Psalm 46:10, God invites us to:

“Be still, and know that I am God!”

Let us never rush out of the presence of God without taking a moment to let the Holy Spirit speak to us. We are special! We are loved.

The Ingredient of Patience

 

 

Tracy Swager – Prayer Center Director

Patience is not my strong suit. Nope, not at all. How about you?

The longer something takes to come about, the more I think I need to help it along. I’m sure you can imagine some of the ways this has bitten me through the years, especially with cooking. I can cook… but my lack of patience and occasional distractedness do not make for a good result.

Like that time I put the garlic toast in late. Everything else was ready. Surely it would be okay to turn up the broiler over the bread in the oven while I set the table. Oh, and got the drinks. And served the plates. What’s that smell? You guessed it! I burned the bread.

Or when I didn’t have much time on my lunch break, so I turned the burner up under the pot of chili. I really was going to stand right there and watch. But I needed to water my plants. As I put them in the sink to drain, I could hear something ding in my inbox. I’ll just take care of that quickly. What’s that smell? Scorched chili.

My lack of patience, I’m sure, has many times brought a scorched stench up to the nostrils of God. As He matures the fruit of the Spirit in me, I’m confident that patience will be among them and produce a beautiful fragrance of worship. I’m inspired when I consider the patient worship and waiting on the Lord of Simeon:

Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah. (Luke 2:25-26 NIV)

When I think of Simeon, I’m inspired by his waiting for the Lord’s promise. There was nothing he could have done to speed it along. Yet, he believed. He got older, and older. Yet, he believed and waited patiently for the Lord’s promised outcome. Patience like that is worship. And then, he held the Messiah in his arms.

I desire that kind of patient and confident waiting for the Lord, and that His promises would characterize my walk with Him. I long for the day that I can move when God says “move,” but when He says “not yet,” then I can be still. Until then, I’m grateful for God’s mercy over my missteps and His grace when I try to help His promise along because I think He’s taking too long.

What are you waiting patiently for? Or perhaps, are you are seeking the Lord about a matter and struggling to be patient? Be encouraged. The Lord keeps every promise.

 

Possession, Not Procrastination

Rich Miller – Manager, CBN Prayer Center Digital Interactions

I have a confession to make: for nearly two decades, I have been one of those husbands who gets stuck Christmas shopping on December 24. Not because of anyone else’s choices; oh no, it’s completely my fault. Each year I say that I’m going to do better and plan ahead throughout the year. And yet, I end up secretly empathizing with the other husbands as we panic and buy last-minute gifts for our lovely wives. Are there support groups for this?

College life was the same—way too many all-nighters cramming for finals or typing last-minute term papers. I always envied other students who were able to pace themselves throughout the semester and turn things in ahead of time.

Am I the only one God is dealing with to break the habit of procrastination? When you examine your life, do you recognize things that you are putting off that you know you should be doing? More importantly, have you been placing things on the backburner that God wants you to do? If so, you can probably see yourself in this admonition from Joshua to Israel.

In Joshua 18, we observe Joshua’s exhortation to over half of the tribes of Israel who were dragging their feet in taking the land that God had already given them:

Now that the land was under Israelite control, the entire community of Israel gathered at Shiloh and set up the Tabernacle. But there remained seven tribes who had not yet been allotted their grants of land. Then Joshua asked them, “How long are you going to wait before taking possession of the remaining land the Lord, the God of your ancestors, has given to you?” Joshua 18:1-3 (NLT)

It wasn’t until the Tabernacle was set up that Joshua gave the challenge to the other seven tribes. Principle: It is when we are in God’s presence (His Tabernacle) that we are reminded of His finished work. We see our promised inheritance from His perspective. We are assured of the victory that has always been ours through Jesus.

Today, God is cheering us on to take spiritual possession of what He has already given. Many times, God is waiting for us to stop procrastinating and do what He has put into our hearts. His answer is Yes! At the same time, we recognize this can’t be done through our willpower; it must be done by partnering with Him.

God’s heart is to lead us in paths of righteousness, bearing fruit that remains. As we keep our eyes on Jesus, our spiritual enemies must watch as we feast at the table He has prepared for us. (Psalm 23: 3, 5) Through Him, we truly are “more than conquerors.”

John 9

A Man Born Blind Receives Sight

1 Now as Jesus passed by, He saw a man who was blind from birth. 2 And His disciples asked Him,

saying, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”

3 Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be

revealed in him. 4  I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming

when no one can work. 5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”

Never Too Late

 

 

Tracy Swager – Prayer Center Director, cbn.com

It’s never too late to start. Start now.

I finished my master’s degree as I turned 40.

My mom started a successful business in her late 50s.

My uncle became a U.S. citizen at age 74.

And Joshua? Joshua was 85 years old when he took possession of the Lord’s inheritance. Read it straight from the Bible, in Joshua 14, below:

“Now, then, just as the LORD promised, he has kept me alive for forty-five years since the time he said this to Moses, while Israel moved about in the wilderness. So here I am today, eighty-five years old! I am still as strong today as the day Moses sent me out; I’m just as vigorous to go out to battle now as I was then. Now give me this hill country that the LORD promised me that day. You yourself heard then that the Anakites were there and their cities were large and fortified, but, the LORD helping me, I will drive them out just as he said.” vv. 10-12 (NIV)

What courage Joshua had! We can start—and finish—like him. The LORD is helping us, too, you know. What is it that has stayed in your heart for years… your “one day” dream? What holds you back? Sometimes we look at all the steps of the whole process and get overwhelmed. We can’t solve right now every problem that might arise, so we stay stuck outside the “land” God put in our heart to take.

As for me and that master’s degree, I finally just… started. I stopped worrying about how long it would take or if I would ever finish. If I never started, I sure wouldn’t finish! I just took the one class that was in front of me. Then I did the next one. One step at a time and suddenly I was stepping across that stage at Regent University for graduation. I learned that sometimes when I’m waiting on God’s timing, He’s just waiting on me to step up to the starting line.

My mother’s starting line was her quilting business. She could have been overwhelmed with whether she could make enough money, or if she’d get all the projects done that she wanted. She didn’t do that though—my mom was not one to let any moss grow beneath her feet. She just started. She made beautiful art through quilting for years and shared the love of Jesus through it. She didn’t get overwhelmed with what she might not achieve… rather she rejoiced in each beautiful project and treasured each precious relationship.

My dad will be 75 this year. We were talking on the phone the other day as he was cleaning out some of my mom’s quilting projects. She moved to heaven a few years ago and he was giving to their friends some projects she didn’t get to finish. He was overwhelmed and weeping, lamenting all she had wanted to do, and didn’t get done. Then there was a perspective shift. We began to rejoice at all she did get to do, all the people she loved, and the joy she brought to our lives. We renewed in our heart that not knowing how much time we have here on earth isn’t a reason to hold back; it’s the reason to start now.

What “start now” is in your heart? I’m praying with you over it!

Father, renew in us the dreams You have placed in our heart. May we have the courage to take the first step, and then see what road You reveal and provision You pour out. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Overcoming the Past

 

by Stephen Sanders, Crosswalk. com

I'm not saying that I have this all together, that I have it made. But I am well on my way, reaching out for Christ, who has so wondrously reached out for me. Friends, don't get me wrong: By no means do I count myself an expert in all of this, but I've got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward—to Jesus. I'm off and running, and I'm not turning back. - Philippians 3:12-14

Last night, I went to a college basketball game with my wife and kids. For the first time in a really long time, I was overwhelmed with a sense of not fitting in with those around me. As we sat and waited for the game to begin, my discomfort level steadily increased with every college kid that filled that arena. The clothing trends, the blaring hip-hop music and the camraderie between the students took me back to a place in time that I tend to block out. As I drove home, I couldn't help but ponder all the pressures of my teenage years.

Now don't get me wrong, I love to reminisce about the good ole days just as much as the next guy. I think we all have at least a few fond memories that cause us to close our eyes and think about the things that we really miss. For example, if you are anything like me, there will never be a better era for music than when I was in high school.

Grunge bands like Smashing Pumpkins, Soundgarden and Stone Temple Pilots were still cranking out mainstream hits. Bands like Incubus and Rage Against the Machine were at the forefront of what would soon be called the Nu Metal movement. And I was still faithfully rockin' that same green flannel shirt from middle school. Yep, those were the days…

The good memories are something that I revisit quite frequently at this point in my life. After all, I am in my 30s now, and I am getting a gray hair or two in the old beard. I even noticed the other day that I'm starting to make strange grunting noises when I sit down or stand up, like I'm in pain or something. What's up with that?!?! I also have a teenager living in my house, which never fails to take me back to all that teenage drama. My point is: it's fun to think about the fun stuff, but usually not so fun to relive the not-so-fun stuff.

For me, the not-so-fun side of high school was being the loner. Now I'm not talking about th super cool James Dean or even that Arthur Fonzarelli kind of loner/rebel. See, I was always the guy in high school who didn't really fit in with anyone; at least, I never felt like I did anyway.

It's funny because I don't tend to be that way anymore. Since I became a Christian in 2002, I feel like I've slowly become more confident in who I am. I don't tend to be so concerned about how other people perceive me, but rather try to understand that everyone has been created differently; that all we have control over is ourselves and how we choose to interact with the other 7 billion people on planet earth.

So, last night as I drove home from the game, I asked God to help me learn from what I was feeling. Why was I so uncomfortable and so bitter towards these strangers? What was it about this event that made me so judgmental towards people who I knew absolutely nothing about? It's funny because I didn't get a direct answer from God. All I can tell you is that I had a peace about what I was feeling. The sin within myself that had stunned me just a few hours prior had now been covered by the promise of my Savior. It was no more a part of my life than that hideous green flannel shirt my wife threw out years ago.

If God Be for Us

 

 

Lina Johnson – Prayer Center Coach

“Oh, Sovereign Lord, why did you bring us across the Jordan River if you are going to let the Amorites kill us?” This was Joshua’s cry to God in Joshua 7:7 NLT).

The Israelites had just fought Ai and suffered a humiliating defeat. But why?

God had made a covenant with Israel. So, in theory, they should have won. But that’s not what happened. Israel had sinned. One of them had not followed God’s instruction at the previous battle of Jericho. Achan had taken from the battle what had been dedicated to the Lord. This broke the covenant. God was now out of the equation.  On top of that, no one asked God what to do concerning the battle at Ai. Spies were sent in and a plan was made, but God was not consulted. Therefore, in the end, Israel was defeated.

Joshua 7 tells us how God exposed the sin and commaned consequences for Achan and his family. Thus restoring the covenant between God and the Israelites. Then, in Joshua 8, Israel goes on to defeat Ai in a second battle.

We also have a covenant with God, and it is a new covenant!

 

Mark 14:24 says:

And he said to them, “This is my blood, which confirms the covenant between God and his people. It is poured out as a sacrifice for many.”

Jesus came to take on the consequences of our sin and create this new covenant with us.

Hebrews 9:14-15 says:

Just think how much more the blood of Christ will purify our consciences from sinful deeds so that we can worship the living God. For by the power of the eternal Spirit, Christ offered himself to God as a perfect sacrifice for our sins. That is why he is the one who mediates a new covenant between God and people, so that all who are called can receive the eternal inheritance God has promised them. For Christ died to set them free from the penalty of the sins they had committed under that first covenant.

The consequences for our sin (death) were paid once and for all by Jesus’ perfect sacrifice for our sins. When we do fall short and sin, and we will, we must confess and repent [turn away] and God forgives. What a tremendous new covenant.

First John 1:9 says:

But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.

What a good God we have! He says to us in Romans 8:31b:

If God is for us, who can ever be against us?

I’ve seen God win so many battles in my life. I encourage you to trust Him so He can win them in yours!